oliver92

ok got the truck back together..dowl pin killed...bolts i could get to loctited...started up and ran fine..no leaks as of yet however i filled rad up as far as i could before i fired it..after about 15 to 20 min it warmed up to almost the 3rd hash mark on the guage..this truck runs just past the 1st hash mark normally...never opened the thermo and got coolant flow through the system..still bout half to 3/4 gallon left from when i drained...is there a certain way to purge these systems?...i noticed a pipe plug on top of the head directly over the thermostat area does this access water? can i pull this and futher purge the system...if the thermostat just happened to give up the ghost is the tractor suppliers cheaper than the cummins dealers on this item...any numbers for such...thanks a lot for all the help and advice..you guys are helping keep one more on the road

jimbo486

the pipe plug does open up to the coolant passage behind the thermostat in the head. you could use that as an indicator that the air is bled and the engine is full. you'd still need to run the engine up to temp and check the radiator level after each heat cycle and a few times after that. btw, the cooling system calls for 15.5 quarts of a 50/50 combination of ethylene glycol and water. when i finished my head gasket, the truck got 2 gallons of ethylene glycol and about 2 gallons (or until the level in the radiator quits dropping) of water.

oliver92

thanks ill try that tomorrow..in the past on gas vehicles i put a flush pipe in the heater hose line with a cap and would use it to purge or drill a small hole in the thermostat ring to allow air to pass through...not much hose on the heaters on these and havent replaced and hope i dont have to the thermostat so thats where im at..btw anyone have a good source for a rad as mine seems to have been worked over at one time at the outlet and has some tube to header seeps going on at that location..local parts store wants $250.00 for copper brass replacement...thanks again

jimbo486

rockauto.com can get you a brand new one for about $250 also. don't know if that'll help you as i'm not sure what material it's manufactured with. that was the best price i could find on that style radiator.

Jim Lane

FWIW
If the hose has a Red or Blue interior as viewed from the edge, it is Silicone and is considered a Lifetime hose and should only leak if it has been physically damaged like from someone using the wrong hose clamps, replacement hose is about $5.00 per foot.

The same goes for any of the coolant hoses on the passenger side of the engine block if you should have an automatic transmission.

The upper and lower radiator hoses are still rubber.

Also radiators usually start to leak from any soldered connection from a condition called Solder Bloom, a corrosion that is directly related to the acidity of the coolant mixture and is a sign of improper maintence.

A poor engine ground can also cause your radiator to be eaten away by Electrolytic corrosion.

You can check this by using a voltmeter and test the coolant for a presence of any voltage in reference to ground.

Jim

GasganoFJ60

The pipe fitting is lower than the the water table that the radiator gives. Pulling the plug will just cause it lose water.
While your letting the engine idle and get up to temp, are you doing so with the radiator cap off? If the cap is on then it cant burp out its air pockets.

Also, if you say you lack abt 3/4 gallons of water to be put it, perhaps you just need to drive around with your radiator cap loose so that it seep out that last of the air without spilling water.

jimbo486

^^^ to further explain. drain your radiator until it is below the water level in the engine so that you don't have the head of pressure from the radiator. then pull the pipe plug, fill the radiator until the water level is at the plug, reinstall the plug, fill the radiator again until the level is just at the bottom of the cap. start your truck and let it idle up to temperature so that the thermostat can open and then purge the air out of the radiator. don't forget to do what i suggested earlier and check the radiator level after each heat cycle a few times. then be sure to check your overflow reservoir and make sure it's at least at the minimum level when the engine is cold.

Jim5870

Beware of those cheap plastic flushing tees, they leak, I'd worry about putting
one of those above a hot exhaust manifold/turbo, might not have a long life span with hot parts nearby,

Jim Lane

I really never trusted those plastic “Prestone” flushing adapters either, I had a couple of them blow out on me back in the 70's. blowing hot coolant everywhere.

Incase you missed it; here is an article I wrote on how to flush your cooling system.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/....html?t=208530

I just fill the radiator to the top of the neck and let the engine run with the cap off until it starts to overflow and then I replace the cap and let it flow in to the recovery tank as it builds pressure pushing out any air left in the system, then I fill the tank with straight “Low Silicate” Antifreeze to the HOT line and then I either let it idle for awhile with a towel to cover the grille to restrict the airflow or go for a ride.

If the cap is working properly as the engine cools it will draw the coolant back into the radiator to replace the space that had been taken by the air. Check the level for the next few days and top off if necessary.

Also don’t forget to cycle your heater control to allow coolant to flow through the heater core.

Jim

Quote:
Beware of those cheap plastic flushing tees, they leak, I'd worry about putting
one of those above a hot exhaust manifold/turbo, might not have a long life span with hot parts nearby,


If you wanted you could construct a nice flushing "T" with a few 1/2" copper pipe fittings from the hardware store that would last forever.

oliver92

thanks for all the tips guys..net was down tonight before i went to the shop so i just went with what i had done before..when i got there i loosened the bolts holding the heater lines then took the one line loose from the hose coming from the nipple in the head..couldnt get the pipe plug out by the way...and filled with coolant til running from the hose..buttoned it back up and ran up to temp thermo opened and its back home and ready for work tomorrow...am still checking around for prices...i work at a rad manufacturer so i know how those soldered joints work...thats why we beta weld them now and get all the miles out of the big truck rad like we do...again thanks and i didnt put the plastic t in either i had thought about the heat problem also...take care all